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URC/CHS News Archives | Contact us | Home URC/CHS NewsU.S. Ambassador to Swaziland Visits Mbabane Hospital
Ambassador Parker toured the TB and antiretroviral treatment (ART) clinics, as well as the hospital’s laboratory. The Acting Manager of the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) and regional coordinator gave presentations on how the URC-led team has helped to improve the quality of TB services at Mbabane and helped build NTP capacity to improve the program’s impact. Nursing staff at the hospital proudly showed the Ambassador graphs which documented improvements in smear conversion rates, proportion accessing microscopy, treatment outcomes, and HIV testing. The Ambassador participated in a discussion about the challenges faced in TB diagnosis, expressing a particular interest in TB testing methods and their relationship to HIV diagnostic services. Ambassador Parker expressed his appreciation to hospital staff and management and noted that the visit helped him to appreciate the challenges faced in the control and treatment of TB. He expressed satisfaction that support has been useful in capacity building and systems strengthening and pledged continued support to Swaziland to strengthen institutions, build capacity, and help in TB control initiatives. Dr. Samson Haumba, URC’s Country Director in Swaziland, as well as other URC country staff, attended the day’s activities. For more information about URC’s work in Swaziland, please contact Dr. Haumba at SamsonH@urc-sa.com or Dr. Refiloe Matji, URC’s Regional Director for Southern Africa, at info@urc-sa.com. |
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Mbabane Government Hospital, the largest health facility in Swaziland, was pleased to welcome U.S. Ambassador to Swaziland, Maurice S. Parker, on April 9, 2008. Mbabane is one of the hospitals receiving URC technical assistance under the USAID Health Care Improvement Project to improve the quality of TB testing, diagnosis and treatment services and to better integrate services for TB and HIV/AIDS. Hospital staff and the URC project team held activities to highlight the hospital’s initiatives to improve and integrate TB and HIV treatment and diagnostic services.